Chief State will release their new album, Keep Your Friends Closer, on April 17. On the upcoming release, their band shares:
The album that very nearly didn’t happen! In 2023/24 we embarked on a game of musical chairs with band members. Such is life, friends move on and pursue other projects or choose to focus on a long neglected career. When Joe and I were the last two standing we were faced with the prospect of continuing or calling it a day, we did the one thing we know – wrote a song. All it takes is one song to get excited again, to convince your longest friend to rejoin, to persuade excellent musicians to join.
Keep Your Friends Closer is the amalgamation of 10 years of grit and determination, it’s about getting back up when you’re knocked down, it’s the pursuit of a dream, it’s us, it’s Chief State. The album explores friendship, hardship, betrayal, love, anger, isolation – life. The fundamental lesson is that we should keep our loved ones closer, not just relate on the surface level, but learn all there is to know about those we choose to spend time with. Letting true colours show, for better or for worse in the short term, will always be for the better in the long run. The writing process felt natural and effortless, crafting as true friends and brothers.
When recording with our long-term producer Tim Creviston, it felt like we were witnessing the full potential of Chief State coming together. Keep Your Friends Closer is our most authentic work to date, our most collaborative work to date and our best work to date! The album that very nearly didn’t happen, did happen, and we can’t wait to share it with you.”
The title track for the album can be streamed below.
